Franchise?!

Now let's get this straight right from the off - Manchester United Football Club are not a "franchise." Your local McDonald's - franchise. Subway - franchise. Burger King - franchise. Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Dominos. Franchises one and all. Manchester United - a 126 year old institution, club and company not repeated, replicated or copied anywhere in the world.

Why am I so very pissed off? Because our esteemed new owner Malcolm Glazer insists on calling United a "franchise" - the term regularly used for sports teams hear in the States. And he did so again this week in his first British media interview. Why? Because although the Glazers own shares in their NFL club - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - the mandate to exist is 'franchised' by the NFL. The same system is in place in baseball, hockey, and basketball too. This is why new clubs can simply pop up overnight - much like McDonald's may stick up a new drive-thru on the latest highway.

Let's take a quick look at our favorite dictionary definition of the word, just so there's no misunderstanding:

fran. chise
Pronunciation: 'fran-"chIz
Function: noun
Etymology: Anglo-French, literally, freedom, liberty, from Middle French, from franchir to free, from Old French franc free

A right or license that is granted to an individual or group to market a company's goods or services in a particular territory under the company's trademark, trade name, or service mark and that often involves the use of rules and procedures designed by the company and services (as advertising) and facilities provided by the company in return for fees, royalties, or other compensation; also : a business granted such a right or license

It's not a big deal - 600m worth of debt IS a big deal - but it does show a continued lack of understanding and respect for the club, and for the fans. Nothing less should have been expected of people who have disrespected the fans almost daily since they took over.

Unless of course the Glazers are planning to offer franchises across the world - Beijing Red Devils United, perhaps? United have strong links in the United States however - including new sponsors American International Group - and there is bound to be speculation that the club is interested in forming a franchise of their own in Major League Soccer. David Gill, was forced to deny speculation this week as well as defending his boss, said:

"America is a vast and interesting market and we have obvious links over there with Nike, Budweiser, Pepsi and now our new shirt sponsors. How we get involved out there is still to be worked out - but there's only one Manchester United and forming a franchise out there is not what we are looking at.

"Should he [Glazer] have called us a great club instead? Yes, of course. But people get hung up on stuff like that when the reality is 'franchise' an American term and he doesn't mean anything by it."

That explanation may be enough for some fans but not for me. It wouldn't be difficult for Gill to give the ginger bearded one a few lessons in football on his weekly conference call back to the U.S. Or should we say soowcheeer?

With season ticket prices set to be formally announced on Tuesday - and fans expecting a massive ticket price hike as was reported last month - Glazer's first attempt at talking to the fans has turned into another kick in the teeth.

But don't expect a change soon - the Glazers, I kid you not, have in the past also talked about United winning a "pennant." In the meantime I can only hope that ginger visits the world's favourite McFranchise a little too often and gives himself a McHeart attack.